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The Juventus stopper has forged a reputation as one of Europe's
toughest goalkeepers to beat from 12 yards and proved once again
how crucial he is to Poland's hopes after they qualified for the
last 16.
Poland may have ultimately lost 2-0 to qualify in second place
in Group C, but not before Szczesny showed he was not one to be
deterred on the big stage by a seven-times Ballon d'Or winner
and a blue-white sea of Argentina fans behind him.
In doing so, Szczesny became the first goalkeeper to save two
penalties at a World Cup tournament since American Brad Friedel
in 2002 and only the third in all, along with compatriot Jan
Tomaszewski who first achieved the feat in 1974.
The penalty awarded to Messi was questionable, with Szczesny's
outstretched hand brushing the Paris St Germain forward's face
after he had headed a cross wide, but the referee saw it as a
foul after a VAR check.
"I immediately told the referee that I touched his face with my
hand, but I only ran over the side of his face. I told him that
the contact was there, but in my opinion there was no penalty,"
Szczesny told TVP Sport.
"The referee decided otherwise and that's good - I was able to
show off.
"On some penalties Leo looks at the goalkeeper and on some he
hits hard. I knew that if he was going to hit hard, it was more
to my left. I saw that he didn't stop, so I went (left), I
sensed it and I saved. I'm happy."
Since making his senior club debut in 2009, the 32-year-old has
saved 26 penalties in his career -- barring shootouts -- for
Brentford, Arsenal, AS Roma, Juventus and the Poland national
team.
LONG REACH
Standing at 6'5", his towering frame and long reach coupled with
his ability to dive quickly to either side after shimmying on
the line has made even the most experienced penalty takers
second guess at the last moment.
Szczesny has also denied several players when they try to score
on the rebound, leaping quickly into their path.
These double saves, like the one where he denied Saudi Arabia's
Salem Al-Dawsari from the spot before parrying Mohammed Al-Breik's
effort from the rebound, are popular fodder for the highlight
reels.
Last season he saved three penalties in a row for Juve between
October and March -- twice against his former side Roma which
effectively sealed the points as Juve won both games by one-goal
margins.
Should Poland be able to keep France's exceptional attack at bay
in the last 16, there is no better player they can count on in
penalty shootouts against the reigning champions.
But for now, he will celebrate Poland's progress to the knockout
stages for the first time in 36 years.
"My whole family is sitting in Warsaw watching all together - my
mother, my wife, my son," he said, adding to the camera: "I love
you, Liam. Dad is not coming home!"
(Reporting by Rohith Nair in Doha; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
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